A half-century after its 1972 release, Johnny Nash’s hit, I Can See Clearly Now, still enjoys radio airplay. One of the most universally connective tunes ever recorded, Nash’s reggae-infused song spent four weeks atop the Billboard Hot-100 chart.
Today’s second round of competition on Lake Murray is best defined by the Nash’s opening line: “I can see clearly now the rain is gone.”
The rains that started Wednesday night continued for much of Thursday’s opening round. The clouds and precipitation yielded late in the day, but by all definitions, it was a soaker.
By comparison, today started with mostly clear skies and while tournament hours will see a mix of clouds and sun, anglers will fish in significantly brighter conditions with not a single raindrop touching Lake Murray.
Daytime highs in the mid-70s will be slightly cooler than yesterday’s 80 degrees, but this time of year, that’s a negligible difference. More light will prove to be the most significant change.
Morning Buffet: By the time you read this, it’ll be an afterthought, but a relevant point nonetheless. May finds Murray’s threadfin shad and blueback herring spawning and that focused period of reproductive activity makes them highly vulnerable to predators.
Savvy anglers will start their day with a couple big bites on the baitfish spawn, while a lucky few may put a quick limit in the boat.
The baitfish spawn overnight and the hour or so of morning activity that anglers seek is really the tail end of nocturnal happenings. When cloudy, rainy weather extends the low-light conditions, shad and herring spawns may last later into the morning.
Several anglers reported such from Day 1, but this morning probably offered an hour or two of shad and/or herring spawn action.
Sharper Recon: While the baitfish spawns wrap up quickly on sunny mornings, the general predatory premise remains intact. Food is food and bass still want to eat every one of the little silver shards they can catch.
The game simply spreads out more on sunny days.
The shad tend to remain in the same general area and spend the day lower in the water column, but the fleet-footed herring are all over the place. Zipping here and there, they keep fish and fisherman on their toes.
Cue the final verse of Jimmy Buffet’s He Went to Paris: “Through 86 years of perpetual motion…”
Today’s sunny, calmer conditions will greatly improve one’s ability to spot the sporadic schooling activity where bass round up a herd of herring and drive them topside for easier feeding. Anglers quick on the draw will fire topwaters or fluke style baits toward the melee in hopes of tricking a bass into a split second mistake.
Stealth Elevated: On the flipside, improved visibility works both ways. That means greater wariness.
It’s the brutal truth of “herring fish” — the bass fixated on these finned aerobic instructors — you’ll see much, much more than you’ll catch.
On a good day, you’re lucky to get a bait in front of a willing fish or two per schooling event. But there’s also a lot of head shaking frustration.
Cliched as it may be, the cat-and-mouse allusion fits. Fortunately for the field, this event is one of five on the 2026 schedule that allows the use of forward facing sonar. This enables anglers to spot baitfish schools and pursuing predators from a castable distance.
It’s no guaranteed hookup, but when you have an idea where they are and where they’re going, you’re better positioned to make an effective cast.
Bed Fish Bounty: Florida pro Drew Benton, largely considered one of the sport’s most proficient sight fishermen, reported catching a few of his Day-1 fish on or near beds. One in particular required a lengthy coaxing, but Benton closed the deal.
At the weigh-ins, Benton noted that yesterday’s brief period of afternoon sunlight greatly improved his ability to see beds and fish. With a look ahead to what has become today’s makeup, the eagle-eyed angler grinned with anticipation.
Line three of the Nash’s first verse: “Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind.”
In reflection of yesterday’s dim conditions, “blind” is a little overstated, but today’s makeup will definitely help the sight fishermen.
Lighter Load: Modern rain suits have come a long way, in terms of the core task of keeping water out, but also in minimized weight and bulk. Still, fishing with a jacket and bibs, versus fishing in light outerwear — immediate fatigue reduction and mobility improvement.
Taking all this into consideration, competitors will do their best to leverage today’s weather complexion and follow Nash’s lead by reaching the No. 1 spot on their chart — the tournament leaderboard.
